Is anyone else possessive over their belongings?

[user8733000]

I've realised today how possessive I am over my belongings. I left my mug and lunchbox in work and I am off now on annual leave for nearly 2 weeks. I usually put my stuff in my locker but I have left these out and I keep thinking someone will take them. I know it sounds pathetic but its quite an expensive box and mug.
I think it stems from my childhood and been bullied, people taking my things or taking the mick out of my stuff and I just feel I have to protect everything I have.

Is anyone else like this? AIBU to be like this?

I am not possessive over my belongings, but then I didn't have the childhood experiences you did.

Try not to worry. Fingers crossed the things are there when you get back. I would say its more likely than not that they will be qhere you left the..

I also take the view that if someone takes something of mine, they must've needed it more than I did. Thinking like that has helped when me and my kids have lost things and no-one has handed them in (I know that's different to someone directly stealing it from you)

Are you friendly with any colleagues that you could message and ask them to keep your mug and box safe?

judging by the number of panicky messages in the work whats app from people in similar situations to you, I think most people would be uncomfortable about their much and lunch box being left out for two weeks

YABU, nobody wants to nick your mug 🙄 calm down

Am a bit like this. Left a blanket and a few things in my work locker March 2020 when we were sent to WFH. Obviously didn't realise how long we'd be off, then had a change of circumstances and went on a career break. In the meantime my team moved floors and the lockers failed to open with the original codes. Team then disbanded, changed managers 3 times, moved offices and now am due back in a different building in a couple of months and no idea what happened to my stuff. If someone managed to get the lockers opened then the stuff in there is probably chucked out or sat in a box somewhere random.

I would message a manager or colleague to keep them safe for you.

I'm like that but like you it stems from my childhood.

I'm not like this but I have some family members who are. One of my daughters gets angry about sharing her food but the rest of us don't care.

I was like this a bit before I had children. I'd forgotten until I saw your post.

I also had a childhood involving a lack of security that my belongings would stay 'mine', so I sympathise, OP I think it's a bit like -- if your stuff isn't 'safe', it contributes to a worry that you yourself are not safe.

Since having children, and then also since splitting up with exDP and being in a more emotionally secure relationship, it seems to have stopped being a thing for me.

I won’t say I’m possessive over my belongings however I won’t want my lunch box and mug out in the office for 2 weeks. I won’t want to use it again when I get back because I just don’t know what someone might have used it for. If you have a colleague’s number just ask them to keep it for you

I'd be more worried of the potential mould growing in them!!
Any chance you could pop in and collect?

Not possessive you are just looking after your things

By the way I don't mean that as in, oh having children made me so much more mature or less materialistic or whatever in a smug way! More just that I'm now more disorganised and overwhelmed, so those old worries are somewhat pushed aside

I'm not possessive, but I do have my own mug in work for my coffee. I've had it for years and I got it one mothers day when my DD was about 4. She's 14 now and it's lots of little photo's of her printed on it.

Now, not everyone I work with knows that I have a daughter, but they know that the kid on the mug is a child they don't know.

It really bugged me when I seen a colleague drinking out of it. I wouldn't dream of drinking out of a mug with someone else's kid on 🤣.

Plates, knives, etc., I'm not bothered about.

Only of a couple of things as they mean so much to me but my fam know that lol

You would be surprised what gets stolen, where I work I bought a 99p bottle of bathroom cleaning spray for our shared basin……got lifted within a day

Yep very like this. If I leave something at someone’s house I get really anxious like I abandoned it. And my brain tells me whatever it is will either be ruined, “tainted” or just lost forever. If I trade a car in I always cry at the thought of leaving it behind.

Not sure why…

I’m concerned for myself having written that out 😂

Yes. My job means I have a different workplace most days so I don't have personal belongings there but I do of course have them at home and expect them to be left alone or, at the very least, for people to ask before they use them. A certain visitor to my house however, who is not always welcome but family politics mean I have to be careful not to cause upset, often tells my son that he can use my computer for this, that and the other. I always interject and say that no, he can't because it's mine, for my use only, but it has been brought up time and again. It's the same with my pens and notebooks and items relating to my hobby.

I don't have many things that are just mine; most of my things are shared with dh and the children but I feel like I'm being selfish for wanting to keep my computer and my art equipment only for myself.

I grew up in a house where I had to share a room with my siblings, the youngest of whom would simply help themselves to my things and then break them. Nothing was ever mine. That is probably where my selfishness comes from.

Don't worry @RuperttheBearHug I am exactly the same 🤣

@user8733000 do we need help 😂

In a work setting totally territorial over cup, plates, cutlery. Took my fork back from someone using it as I was needing it. I also had my own drawer to store the above.